EDITORIAL: Intensify efforts to combat autism

Anthony Giacone, 12, of Neptune, who has autism, works with a teacher last week at the SEARCH Day Program in Ocean Township.

The rate for childhood autism in the U.S. has risen to a stunning one in 68, according to statistics released last week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In New Jersey the rate is even higher - one in 45. And the rate is four times higher among boys than girls.

What's going on here? Why has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) become a worldwide pandemic? Why is the incidence growing? In 1980, only three out of 10,000 children were diagnosed with the condition. While heightened awareness and earlier diagnosis may account for some of the rise in autism cases, experts agree that is only a part of the reason.

Research has shown that autism seems to have its origins in very early brain development. However, the most obvious signs of autism emerge between 2 and 3 years of age. Much of the research has centered around exploring tiny gene mutations and finding pre-diagnosis markers of autism.

The problem has, at long last, captured the attention it deserves at both the state and federal levels. But given the magnitude of the problem, the heartache and toll it takes on parents of the autistic, and the costs of providing families with alternatives for children moving into adulthood, the efforts must be intensified. More must be done to solve the mysteries of this ever-growing disease and to expand the services needed to help families cope.

In 2012, the total National Institutes of Health budget was $30.86 billion. Only $169 million went directly to autism research - 0.55 percent of total NIH funding. Far more research money is required.

Gov. Chris Christie has included in his proposed 2015 budget $135 million for the Department of Health's Early Intervention System, which provides early identification and referral, service coordination, evaluation/assessment, and developmental early intervention services for children from birth to 3 with developmental delays and disabilities, including autism.

On the federal level, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., has been one of the leading voices in Washington on the autism issue. He is seeking additional funding for the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act. In 2011, it provided $22 million for the Developmental Disabilities Surveillance and Research Program, $48 million for autism education, early detection and intervention, and $161 million for hundreds of research grants at the National Institutes of Health.

About 50,000 autistic children reach adulthood every year. Currently, fewer than half of transitioning youth are participating in either secondary education or employment within two years after leaving high school. To help address the problem, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., last year introduced the Assistance in Gaining Experience, Independence and Navigation (AGE-IN) Act.

Young adults with autism spectrum disorders who turn 21 "age out" and are no longer eligible for school-based support services. The current Combating Autism Act does provide grants to research transition planning and housing. But that is only a modest first step.

The sad state of affairs for these young adults and their families can have devastating consequences. Lacking meaningful support networks, the world into which these young adults are thrown can be a nightmare. This often leads to the youth regressing from the social, behavioral, educational and emotional progress made during their time in school.

Smith says he is confident his bill to renew autism funding will pass. It is needed, he said, "not just for children and adults with autism but for their families who are in great need of respite care."

Autism is a national health crisis, with New Jersey bearing a disproportionate number of cases. More resources directed to research may bring comfort and assistance to untold numbers of children and their families.

Autism manifests itself differently in each child. Some of the symptoms are barely perceptible to outsiders. Some children are profoundly disabled by it and unable to communicate. But for every child with autism, there are parents hoping for breakthroughs in treatment and the best for their children's future. They deserve all the support - financial and emotional - they can get.

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EDITORIAL: Intensify efforts to combat autism

The rate for childhood autism in the U.S. has risen to a stunning one in 68, according to statistics released last week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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